


Two Hearts, Same Desires

by ead13



Category: Elder Scrolls Online
Genre: Canon Disabled Character, F/M, Love Confessions, Scarlet Judge - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-20
Updated: 2020-09-20
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:20:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26558008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ead13/pseuds/ead13
Summary: Melar Sadus left quite the impression when he bestowed Telava with the mantle of the Scarlet Judge. Such a contradiction of strength and weakness, humor and seriousness, violence and peace... Throw in his undeniably good looks and Telava knows she's smitten with the one-time vigilante. Finally, she decides to take advantage of his recent election and confess her feelings, hoping against hope that she can be more than just his successor.A.K.A. A thinly-veiled self-insert in which I appreciate Melar Sadus.
Relationships: Original Female Character/Melar Sadus
Kudos: 8





	Two Hearts, Same Desires

**Author's Note:**

> There is no content for Melar Sadus, one of the only Dunmer I have ever loved! This is certainly not the best thing I've ever written, but it fills a void. I hope it brings some enjoyment to those who, like me, found themselves crushing on the Scarlet Judge.

Telava stood outside the imposing door of the Suran marshal’s office, steeling her nerve to knock as she clenched and unclenched her hands into fists. This was unusual to say the least. She was generally fearless as she barged into offices (often to steal damning documents or pry answers from nervous councilors), having had to do it too many times to count. This time, though, she wasn’t there to bust some wrong-doer or plead aid from those in power. Telava was there to make her move on the newly-elected marshal. She had her excuse to visit him, a congratulations to an ally. All she needed now was the courage to pursue the man who had filled her thoughts ever since they’d parted ways.

“He’s in there, you know.”

Telava jolted at the sound of the thick Nord accent. She whipped around, sending her braid flying, only to come face to face with the head constable, Gretga. The older woman gave a knowing smile. Despite having only one eye, years of patrolling had no doubt honed her powers of perception. “I…yes, I know.”

“So you hesitate BECAUSE Melar’s in there... Perhaps if you put on the costume you’ll feel braver, eh?”

“The mask would be nice to have, yes.” Why try to hide it? Gretga was a good friend of Melar, and she had worked with her closely not long ago to end an undercover slavery operation. Besides, the fact that she had been standing outside the door for a solid few minutes made any excuse flimsy at best.

“He would make a fine companion, wouldn’t he? As long as I’ve known him, he’s been too busy with his Scarlet Judge bit to make friends, much less pursue anyone, but now, now he’s got more time than he knows what to do with and only me to confide in.” Gretga paused, reconsidering. “Then again, once he officially starts marshaling, he’ll have his hands full. But all paperwork, quite a change from his former occupation. Sounds damn maddening if you ask me.”

Telava rubbed her temples. Were they really going to have this conversation? “I only came to congratulate him on his election…”

“I’m certain he’ll appreciate it, particularly coming from you. You know he respects you immensely if he trusts you with his legacy.”

“I try to live up to his hopes for me.”

“As I said before, you wear it well. Now then…” 

Without warning, Gretga threw open the door and pushed the Dunmer woman inside. Once she had her wits about her, she realized she was looking up right into the face of Melar Sadus himself. She couldn’t help it. The blush burned full force. “M-Melar…”

The noble Dunmer that she fancied peered down with his light, almost golden eyes. She envied them, in a way; something about her own blood-red ones spoke to everything wrong with her people: the arrogance, the tempers, the vengeance. Melar was nothing like that, and she didn’t want to be either. “I thought I heard a ruckus outside my door. Takes me a while to hobble over there, as you can imagine, otherwise I would have let you in. Ah well, Gretga is good for that sort of thing.”

“She certainly is!” Telava laughed nervously as she attempted to regain her composure. It wasn’t easy, considering how his smooth baritone voice put butterflies in her stomach. It was not fair that a person could be so charming with so little effort. “How are you doing, by the way? It’s good to see you on your feet.”

“Between them opening up my knees to pluck out loose bone fragments, Mendalion’s restoration magic to stitch things back up, and Tilenra’s teas for the pain, I suppose this is as good as it is going to get. By the Three, but I move like an old man!” Melar groaned a bit at the thought, a grimace creeping over his features. She noticed for the first time how he clutched onto a walking staff, just as he’d predicted back when she’d departed Suran last time. He put on a good show, always had, but the injury he’d suffered at the hands of the last marshal had taken its toll on the one-time vigilante.

“I’m just thankful they didn’t get any further with your torture,” she admitted honestly. “I was so afraid of what they’d do after I left you in that prison…”

“It takes more than a pair of broken knees to stop justice, as they found out. Speaking of which…I heard the Scarlet Judge ousted a corrupt Telvanni up in Vos. Honestly, where do they keep finding all these hired swords for their ploys for power?”

Telava smiled. “No kidding. I’m glad to say he didn’t get a chance to do too much damage to the town up there.”

“I knew I could trust you with the mantle. You are a kindred spirit.”

She ducked her head bashfully, but still the smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. “It means a lot, coming from you.”

“Don’t be so modest, Telava. Now then, could I convince you to come sit? I’m still not good with standing for long periods of time.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry, of course!” She was a bit unsure of the proper etiquette when one’s companion could hardly walk, but she decided to take his pace, even if it meant moving at a shuffle. 

He noticed, and gave a wry smile. “While I make my way back to my desk, why don’t you go grab the bottle of shein from that cupboard over there and two glasses. I think we deserve that much.”

Grateful for direction, Telava scurried to do as he requested. By the time she’d gathered the necessary libations, he was settled in. She set each glass down with a gentle clink. “I know the host pours, but allow me. In honor of your recent election to the position of marshal, just as you’d hoped.” She opened the bottle and began to pour, not daring to look at his face.

“Was that what brought you here? Heard of my escapades?” he said with a tone of amusement.

“I-That is, in part.” She finished pouring her own glass, then set the bottle to the side. “A toast to Melar Sadus, Marshal of Suran. In your own words, can’t be any worse than the last one!”

“Ha! You’ve got that right.” He tapped his glass to hers before taking a long drink. “I thank you for your well-wishes. I wasn’t sure how likely a victory was, given that the people only know Melar Sadus as the recluse living at Ulres Manor. I think they believe my…recent handicap…was not so recent, and that it kept me from venturing out more often. I see no reason to correct them. Keeps the secret a secret, after all.”

“So was it a tight election then?”

At that, Melar actually burst out laughing, his rich chuckle making her feel warm all over. “I was the only candidate to run! No one else would touch that cursed position with a ten-foot pole!”

“Oh my, I see. Perhaps I ought to withdraw my congratulations then…” She began to walk her fingers across the table towards his drink, aiming for something flirtatious. 

“Ah ah ah, no take-backs.” He gripped his glass tightly as he took another long drink, his eyes twinkling with amusement all the while.

“Well, that’s all right. Congratulating you wasn’t the only reason I came, truth be told.”

He raised an eyebrow. “There is something else?”

“There is. Maybe.” Her nerve was fading fast, so she decided it best to down the entire glass of shein.

“Well now you have me curious.”

“I can’t get you off of my mind.” The words hung in silence for what felt like an eternity. By the Three, there had to have been a more subtle way to approach this… She couldn’t begin to imagine what Melar was thinking. She couldn’t bear to search his face for a clue.

“You mean, adjusting to your duties as the Scarlet Judge, or…?”

“No. Just about you, Melar Sadus. How I’d like to spend more time with you if you’d want it,” Telava mumbled, eying the bottle of shein, wishing desperately it would not be rude to pour another glass for herself.

Melar just blinked, seemingly unable to process this information. “You have those kinds of feelings…for me?”

“How could I not?” she declared earnestly, risking a glance at him. His confused reaction made her heart flutter. The fool didn’t realize just how attractive he was, it seemed. “You are kind, heroic, have a sense of humor even in the darkest times, and quite honestly, when I saw you for the first time outside the prison, without that obnoxious helmet, my first thought was of how handsome you were.” Oh no. She wasn’t supposed to admit to that last part even if it was true!

The Marshal was taken aback. “I mean, I understand the kind and heroic bit; I work pretty hard on that. But funny and handsome?” It was now Melar’s turn to blush as he repeated the words, stumbling on them a bit as if they were unfamiliar.

“Very funny in a dry sort of way, and very handsome.”

“I…huh. No one’s ever said that about me.”

“Only because you hide behind the costume so much.” Telava was beginning to worry. There was zero indication of interest. Perhaps she wasn’t on as strong of ground as she’d hoped. “Like I said, if you have no interest in such a thing, a simple handshake can be arranged and we part ways until our business brings us together again. You are an inspiration to me, and no matter how you feel, I will continue to offer my aid. I just had to be up front with you about my feelings, such as they are.”

He seemed to sense her worry, dismissing her unspoken concerns with a wave of his hand. “Don’t get me wrong, Telava, I’m surprised is all. I never imagined you might fancy a washed-up cripple, no matter what I used to be, but I’d be lying if I said I never thought of you that way, particularly while lying in bed delirious with pain.”

Her eyes widened in surprise. “You’ve thought about me?”

That smirk of his was going to be the death of her. “To quote you: how could I not? You are kind, heroic, quite beautiful…”

“You forgot ‘sense of humor’!” 

“To be fair, I haven’t gotten a good read of that yet.”

“Ah, of course you’re right.”

“But certainly overall pleasant and uplifting. If I may be candid, I’ve spent so long helping everyone else, I’d forgotten what it felt like to have someone looking out for me. I am loathe to let that go now that I remember.”

“Melar?”

“Hmm?”

“May I offer you another gift?”

“What’s that?”

“May I kiss you?”

The eloquent former judge was at a loss for words; it was all he could do to nod. Like one of his vivid dreams after taking his pain medication, she rose from her spot and approached him, biting her bottom lip nervously. “I make no promises to the quality. I haven’t had much practice.”

“Would it surprise you to know I second that?” Never had she seen him shy like he was at this particular moment. He was apparently not the sort of hero to woo ladies. She got the impression he was so serious that he always focused on his crusade and little else.

“Not at all, and I mean that in the best way possible.” Then, she bent down and her lips met his, soft and tentative. She could feel his breath hitch before he warmed into it. It was no raunchy thing, not on the first go, not in the middle of his office, but all her nerves lit up just the same as his large hands carefully came to rest upon her shoulders and squeezed.

When he finally broke away, he seemed uncharacteristically dazed. “That was better than I’d imagined.”

“Hmph. I had set the bar pretty high, so it met expectations.”

“Ah, that sense of humor!”

She nudged him playfully, the walls between them now crumbled. “So I’ve got to ask, is there a precedent for former Judges having romantic affiliations with their successors?”

“None that I’m aware of.” He was back to business in the blink of an eye. “All I know is that this cannot interfere with your work or mine.”

“Of course not. I have no intention of sticking around Suran fawning over you. I’ll just have to visit to pick up intelligence that you will no doubt gather on the side.”

“True enough.”

“First order of business though…the costume needs alterations. It is hard to look imposing when your sleeves are flopping about!” Feeling much bolder now, Telava ran her fingertips up his arm, appreciating his bulging biceps. “My predecessor was terribly muscular, and I don’t quite fit.” She couldn’t help but wonder what it would feel like if he wrapped his powerful arms around her in the heat of passion.

Though it wasn’t with the same intensity as she’d imagined, he must have read her mind, because he moved to hug her around her slim waist, pulling her close. Given that he was sitting, he only came to chest-level, and she found it amusing how he did his utmost to avoid resting on her bosom. “I suppose the chest is also a bit of an issue.”

She scowled. “Not as much as you’d think. I can’t tell if I’m just flat or if you are just really muscular in the chest as well.”

Melar struggled to his feet at that remark, pushing himself off the chair. She wasn’t sure whether she should help him or not, but ultimately decided he was a stubborn mer that would want to be independent. Once he was steady on his feet, he hugged her waist once more and lowered his forehead to rest against hers. “You’re beautiful, Telava, inside and out.”

How far it would have gone, neither would ever know. At that moment, there was a sharp rapping at the door. “Marshal Sadus? Are you in?”

He moaned in disappointment, relinquishing his grip on her. “Duty calls.”

“I’ll meet you at the manor this evening?” She began walking towards the door, but the question lingered.

Much to her relief, his response was enthusiastic. “Absolutely!”


End file.
